University committee for M.Sc students; University committee for the promotion of the research associates; Faculty committee for PhD students; Faculty committee for academic appointments; Ad hoc committes for the Biotechnology program; University committee for Ph.D students; Head of the Institute of Cereal Crop Improvement 2005-2013; Head of the Student Excellence program 2006-2014; Advisor to TAU President on women's status 2005-2013

Research Interests

My research focuses on the function and biological role of the molecular chaperones belonging to the immunophilins in plants. More specifically, I study the function of the FK506 binding proteins in wheat and Arabidopsis. We have found that these proteins are essential for the proper functioning protein folding and fertility of the plants.

The FKBPs are conserved from bacteria to man and plants and are involved in cell differentiation and proliferation. These family of proteins have been found to be involved in the immune response in humans, to affect cell division in yeast, affect cell growth and differentiation in plants and protein folding in most organisms.

In plants we study their mode of action by using genetic and molecular tools by producing mutants and transgenic plants. The acronym of this protein family is FKBP which stands for FK506 Binding Proteins . FK506 is an immunosuppresive drug used in medicine and these proteins bind the drug. All the members of this family possess peptidyl prolyl cis trans isomerase activity , affecting the folding of other proteins and some proteins behave as molecular chaperones.

We study the mode of action of FKBPs in wheat ,rice and arabidopsis. Plants which loose the FKBP become heat stress sensitive. We have found that 2 genes of Arabidopsis ROF1 and ROF2 are involved in heat stress response by their interaction with HSP90 and the transcription factor HSFA2. They form complexes that regulate expression of the small heat stress proteins . These proteins are responsible for the heat stress response.At present we follow in depth the mode of function of the complex ROF1, HSP90, HSFA2 in vitro and in vivo